Apparatus for casting blocks



1941, A. .J/BOYNTON Erm. 2,227,956

' APPARATUS FOR CASTING BLOCKS Filed A ril 1,.1940' 1NVENTOR5 Joseph E Zcz/vea Patented Jan. 7, 1941 APPARATUS FOR CASTING BLOCKS 7 Arthur J. Boynton, Winnetka, and Joseph E.

Zakes, Chicago, Ill., assignors to H. A. Brassert & Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April 1, 1940, Serial No. 327,256

6 Claims. (01. 25-455) This invention relates to anew and improved apparatus for casting blocks and'more particularly for casting blocks having spiral openings therein.

In certain typesof apparatus, such as cleaners for air and gases and heat transfer apparatus, it is desirable to provide blocks or banks of material having spiral openings therethrough. These spiral openings give a rotary or spiral motion to the gas orair passing through and cause greater contact between the gaseous flow and the walls of thepassage. This is particularly important where such gases are used for gas cleaning purposes to I remove either solids ormoisture from the gases.

15, Apparatus of this character, when used for example incleaning and drying blast furnace gases, requires large quantities of blocks having spiral passages therethrough in order to adequately handle large flows of gases.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for casting blocks with spiral passages therethrough.

' It is an additional object toprovide a means" and method adapted for use with materials readily available; It is a further object to provide amethod and apparatus adapted for rapid and uniform production in large quantities. a 1

It is also an object to provide means whereby blocks may be produced with diiferent types of spiral openings therein, the blocks and openings having smooth surfaces and sharp and clean edges, and being substantially free from cracks and warping. v a

It is another object to provide apparatus simple in design, construction and operation,' and methods which may be carried out by comparatively'unskilled labor.

Z Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

We have shown certain preferred embodiments of our invention in the accompanying drawing, in which- I V Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus-for carrying out our improved process;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1; a

Figure 3 is an elevation on an enlarged scale showing one form of core member; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing a modified form of core.

The apparatus is shown as supported upon a tableorplatform ll and, as shown in Figure 1, this platform II is supported on the rollers I2 from a, base 13. The platform II is connected by link l4 to the eccentric stud l5 rotated by motor It in order to vibrate the platform I I. The mold comprises a fixed side plate l1 and a fixed end plate I8, together with a movable side plate l9 and movable end plate 20. The movable side plate 8 I9 is provided with guide rods 2| and a threaded rod 22. The movable end plate 20 is provided with guide rods 23 and a threaded pull rod 24. The guiderods 23 pass through fixed guides 25 and the threaded rod 24 passes through a fixed thread- 10 ed guide member 26, the rod being provided with a handle 21 for its rotation. The threaded rod 24 has an end freely rotatable in the pull yoke 28 and the threaded rod 22 of side I9 is similarly connected to yoke 29. It will be understood that the guide rods 2| and threaded rod 23 pass through guides similar to guides 25 and 25.

The sides and ends are provided with upwardly extending clamping plates 30, each of which is provided with a wing bolt 3 I. The mold is covered by a movable cover plate 32 which fits between the plates 30 and is provided with threaded openings "to receive the wing bolt 3|. The plate 32 is also provided with a plurality of threaded openings 33 extending vertically through the 25 plate and adapted to receive core members, such as the member 34 shown in Figures 2 and 3. A guide plate 35 is supported above the cover plate 32 by the connecting plates 36. This guide plate 35 is provided with a plurality of openings 31 registering. with the openings 33 in the cover plate 32.

The mold is provided with a removable bottom plate 38, which plate has relatively small openings 39 formed therein, as shown in Figure 1, these openings being in. registration with the 35 aligned openings in the cover 32 and guide plate 35. All four walls of the mold are preferably provided with a plurality of small openings, as shown at in Figure 2, upon the front wall IT.

The core member 34 is provided with a squared 40' upper end 4| by means of which it may be rotated and threaded through the cover plate 32. This core member is provided with a spiral groove 42' interfitting with the threads cut in the cover plate 32. It will be noted that these threads do not extend to the center of the core member. The modified form of core member 43 shown in Figure 4 is provided with a squared end 44 and a spiral or corkscrew shaped portion 45. This portion 45 is formed without any central portion. 50

fitted in the bottom of the mold cavity. A measured amount of material for forming the block is placed in the mold, after which the top plate 32 is placed upon the mold and fixedly secured in place by turning in the thumb screws 3|. The vibrating means is then put in operation and during the vibration the desired numberand form of core members is passed downwardly through the openings in the guide plate 35 and threaded through the top plate 32. As the'vibration continues, these core members are threaded down through the vibrating mass of loose material in the mold until their lower ends abut the bottom plate 38. Any material trapped under the lower face of the core member is forced out through the small openings 39 in the base plate, there being registering openings in the supporting member H. The small openings l in the walls of the mold also permit any additional excess materialto flow from the mold. It will be understood that the amount of material placed in the mold will normally be determined by the capacity of the mold and by the volume of the cores to be inserted, so that the mold will be completely filled after all cores are inserted. A slight excess is provided which will work out through the openings 39 and 45, so as to insure that the mold is properly filled and packed.

After the material in the mold has takenv an initial or partial set sufiicient to maintain its shape, the core members are withdrawn by rotating them up through the upper plate and guide plate. Cores of .the type shown in Figures 2 and 3 will form a cylindrical opening through the block, with a spiral flange extending inwardly from the wall of the opening. The formof core shown in Figure 4 will form acontinuous spiral opening from top to bottom of the block. The guiding effect of the threaded openings in the top plate 32 will be such as to insure the withdrawal of the cores through the area ofthe passage formed by the cores without shearing the walls or flanges formed in the material by the cores. The cores, as well as the walls of the mold, are preferably wiped with il before the casting operation to prevent adhesion between the mixture of the block and the cores. After. use, the mold walls and cores are washed and again oiled before repeated use. Due to the provision of, vibrating means for the mold it is possible to use a fairly stiff or dry mixture of materials and yet have the cores work down through such materials with the assurance that the materials will work fully into the cavities in the cores and insure clean, smooth surfaces and sharp edges.

In order to be able to mold a substantial volume of blocks in a given time with the use of the apparatus, it is desirable to have a quick setting cement or mixture for use in molding the blocks. This necessitates the use of a mixer capable of mixing only the amount of material actually to be immediately used. Small mixers may be used if only one or a few molds are used simultaneously, while the larger mixers may be used in volume production. After the mixture has taken its desired initial set, the top plate 32 may be removed and theside i9 and end 20 drawn away from the block so that the partially set block may be removed on its bottom plate 38 to be placed in a suitable curing room or chamber where temperature and humidity may be kept at a desired point for the particular mixture in' use. A plurality of plates 38 are provided so that a new plate can be used for the next casting, the plate normally remaining under a block until its curing has progressed to such a point that it may be removed without danger to the block.

We have found that various mixtures may be used to produce desired speed of initial set together with the requisite strength of the block and smoothness and sharpness of face and edges. By way of example, we have found that the fol-'- lowing general mix is suitable for use in casting blocks having spiral passages one inch in diameter. Such a mix comprises one part by volume of cement having a high early strength; two and one-half parts of sand; one to one and one-quarter parts of water; one-twentieth part of gypsum; and one-tenth part of Pozzolith. This I mixture produces a mortar that is relatively stiff but is workable and has an initial set in about four minutes. Varying the quantity of gypsum and Pozzolith varies the time of the initial set. The material Pozzolith is a pozzolanic mixture sold under that trade name. The constituents of the mixture may be varied depending on the size of the block and the size of the core openings therefor, and on the time of initial set desired.

Because of the use of quick-settin material it is desirable to provide suitable gang means for inserting and withdrawing the core members. Such means are well known in the drilling art and need not be shown and described herein.

It will be understood that cores may take different shapes than those shown herein, and also that the block may be given different shapes by providing different shapes of molds. In addition, with the use of a mold as shown, the block size and shape may be changed by inserting Wood or metal core members in the sides or corners of the mold. While one form of means for vibrating the mold has been shown, it will be understood that other standard and usual vibrating apparatus may be used. It is only necessary to vibrate the mold while the core members are inserted and vibration is then stopped until just before the insertion of the core members in the next cycle of operation. By use of the apparatus shown and described and by means of the methods and materials stated above, blocks are produced which are smooth, strong and sharp in outside dimensions and free from cracks and Warping. The .spiral passages are smooth and may be effectively distributed for utilization of the whole exposed area of the block. The spiral openings in the top and bottom faces of the casting are sharp and free from jagged edges as are the spiral webs through the block.

While we have shown certain preferred embodiments of our invention it is capable of variation and change to meet differing conditions and requirements, and we contemplate such modifications as come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for making blocks with spiral passages therein, comprising a mold, a removable cover for the mold, means for detachably securing the cover to the mold, the cover having threaded openings therein, and spiral cores fitting the threads in the mold cover.

2. Apparatus for making blocks with spiral passages therein, comprising a mold, a removable cover for the mold, means for detachably securing the cover to the mold, the cover having threaded openings therein, means spaced from the cover having guide openings aligned with the threaded cover openings, and spiral cores fitting the threads in the mold cover.

3. Apparatus for making blocks with spiral passages therein, comprising a mold, a removable cover for the mold, means for detachably securing the cover to the mold, the cover having threaded openings therein, spiral cores fitting the threads in the mold cover, and means for vibrating the mold.

4. Apparatus for casting blocks perforated with spiral passages, comprising a mold, a removable cover for the mold, said cover having threaded openings therein, a guide plate secured to the cover and having guide openings therein aligned with the threaded openings in the cover, means for detachably securing the cover to the mold, and spiral cores fitting the threaded openings in the cover.

5. Apparatus for casting blocks perforated with spiral passages, comprising a mold, a removable cover for the mold, said cover having threaded openings therein, a guide plate secured to the cover and having guide openings therein aligned with the threaded openings in the cover, means for detachably securing the cover to the mold, spiral cores fitting the threaded openings in the cover, and means for vibrating the mold.

6. Apparatus for casting blocks perforated with spiral passages, comprising a mold, a removable cover for the mold, said cover having threaded openings therein, a guide plate secured to the cover and having guide openings therein aligned with the threaded openings in the cover,

means for detachably securing the cover to they ARTHUR J. BOYNTON. JOSEPH E. ZAKES. 

